Satsangs

Satsang is a compound Sanskrit word that means “keeping the company of the Self.” The Self, Awareness, is the true nature of everyone and one keeps company with it by continually meditating on it in many ways. One of the most effective methods involves discussing non-dual teachings with someone who has realized his or her identity as the Self, to get clarity with reference to Self inquiry. The satsangs posted here are the questions of many people around the world who are interested in enlightenment and find that Vedanta is their preferred means of Self knowledge. Since I am a teacher of Vedanta, a time tested means of self inquiry, I am qualified to reply to these questions.~James Swartz

ShiningWorld Reader

Paddy: Hi, James. My name is Paddy O’Brian and I live in Ireland. I have just recently discovered your website and have begun study of the source texts that you offer. I discovered your website at exactly the right time. I have been searching from very young, I have been to India many times and have been doing Zen and Tibetan Buddhist meditation for a long time. I always move on, I am quite restless by nature. Then I discovered the non-dual Neo-Advaita world, and travelled to Roger Linden in London regularly. Soon enough I got my longed-for experiences and then I dropped away and there was a lot of joy. After about six months the problems started coming and I descended in to the darkest time of my life. I began living moment to moment in such suffering that I felt I was going to lose my mind and go crazy at any moment. I started to admit that liberation hadn’t actually come about. I worked hard to pull out of the dark times and about three months ago while painting I had an experience of dropping a lot of shit away and I felt a level of freedom. I sit in meditation for about two hours a day and spend time in study of the source texts. I know I will go to great lengths to realise the self and have always burned with this desire. I feel I would like to come on retreat with you sometime in the near future, so the money just needs to appear from somewhere.

I don’t have any burning questions and the sense of “I am” is obvious at this time, but I long to build a traditional foundation and clarify the experiences of awakening that I have had. Thank you.

James: Dear Paddy, very nice to hear from you. I enjoyed your story. Yes, ego loss is not enlightenment. It is unfortunate that it is equated with enlightenment. The self is the self with or without the ego. Anything that goes will eventually return in one form or another but you, the self, neither come or go. Enlightenment is hard and fast self-knowledge. The ego does not obstruct it. Obviously you are doing good inquiry if things are dropping away. Keep the karma yoga attitude toward everything that happens. It will insulate you from the emotional swings. I hope that you can attend some of my talks. It would be very nice to meet you.

~ All the best, James

Contacting Shining World

For years I have happily and diligently responded to communications on the topic of Self realization. Since the publication of my book, “How to Attain Enlightenment”— currently in its third printing —and the success of this website, the volume of emails has increased considerably. Unfortunately, owing to a busy schedule of teaching and writing, I am no longer able to answer all the emails I receive in a timely fashion. However, my wife, who is also a teacher, and several well-qualified teachers we have endorsed are available to answer emails on my behalf. I encourage you to send them your questions.
— James SwartzContact Us